Hydration, repairing skin damage and maintaining the protective skin barrier are essential Hyaluronic acid “boosts” skin hydration, improving the elasticity and cohesion of the skin barrier.
Hyaluronic acid is a key molecule in skin aging and skin hydration. This molecule helps to retain moisture in the skin and when injected helps to plump and “fill” hollow areas of the skin (this ingredient is used in injectable fillers).
Hyaluronic acid comes in different sizes and as a result, penetrates to different levels of the skin. Each molecule is assigned a molecular weight, which inversely relates to how deep the molecule can penetrate the skin. For example, the lower molecular weight molecules are so small that reach the deeper layers of the skin compared to larger and heavier molecules. The advantage of higher molecular weight hyaluronic acid serums are the anti-inflammatory and soothing properties as it forms a durable film with the top layer of the skin.
So what’s the difference?
A high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (>1.800.000 Daltons) is more likely to create a film on the skin surface rather than penetrating deeper into the skin. In general, compared to lower molecular weight hyaluronic acid (<100.000 Daltons), higher molecular weight hyaluronic acid is less likely to have a lasting effect.
A low molecular weight hyaluronic acid serum is more likely to have a lasting anti-wrinkle and regenerating effect and works in the deeper levels of the skin. As you can imagine, lower molecular weight hyaluronic acid serums are able to lock in the moisture in the connective tissue of the skin and as a result, stimulating firming effects.
The benefits of hyaluronic acid serums or drops is a combination of hyaluronic acid and water, which in fact helps maximize hydration. Serums typically contain low molecular weight hyaluronic acid that easily penetrates to the deeper levels of the skin. An added benefit of small molecule size is that it may be easily combined with other hydrating ingredients such as ceramides and essential fatty acids as well as brightening lactic acid.